The bodies were shifted to the state-run Victoria hospital for autopsy.

The fire incident in the pub city and tech hub occurred about 10 days after a fire in a rooftop pub claimed 14 lives in Mumbai on December 29.

It has been almost a year since the Karnataka government allowed pubs, bars, restaurants and eateries in the cosmopolitan city to remain open till 1 a.m., ostensibly for catering to hundreds of tourists and thousands of techies from software firms and call or data centres, which operate on 24x7 basis through the year.

Bengaluru Mayor Sampath Raj, who inspected the burnt bar, told reporters that he had ordered an inquiry to find out why the victims were sleeping in the premises after downing the shutters post 1 a.m.